St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-16
DAZZLING FISH YARNS.

A traveller who has recently returned
from trip through British Columbia saws
that one day last November it was possible
to lay boards on top Of the fish in a small
stream which empties into the Fraser and
pass over, as ii on living pOntoon br idge,
to the opposite bank. The fish had beer
driven into the stream by the back-water OF
the Fraser and were packed together like
sardines in can.
William Sykes, a Mississippi planter,
went fishing near Leota Landing one morn
ing, and while he was trying to impale a
minnow on his hook the diminutiYe fish
wriggled out of his fingers into his mouth
ana slipped down his throat. He went
home and swollawed an emetic, but it had
no effect. and although all this took place
some time ago. the tlsh still remains in his
stomach. Sykes hasn't worried much
about the matter and tells his friends that
he feels no unpleasant effects from his alb
dominal visitor. He even says that he ex-
periences certain pleasure in feeling the
fish grow.
A huge devil-fish was captured in Vic
toria harbor week ago by three adventure
Gus fishermen. The monster weighed over
100 pounds. and measured several feet
across the back. 1t was taken alive and
pulled into the boat. where it promptly
seized hold of seats, oars and everything
else that was movable with its innumera-
BILE suckers. The men were forced into the
very stem and stern of the boat, but there
was vital spot between the great fish'S
eyes and boat-hook soon found it.
Many curious fish have been brought to
light by the artesian wells, which are being
sunk from time to time in various parts of
Florida. At the Ponce de Leon well star
fch of
depth of l, 900 feet, and from q we'll near
Brooks Springs several small fish with
scales of variegated colors and fins covered
with a shaggy coat of hair were thrown up.
At other places fish that were totally blind
were met with at depth of from 600 to
!, 500 feet.
The rapid growth and breeding qualities
of the German carp, which is now the
favorite fish for stocking ponds in West
ern states, are matter of establishment to
fishermen. A typical instance of its fecund-
ity is that related by farmer residing near
Fairfield la. Four years ago he started
pond with three small carp. and this year
he reports his stock at $4,000. In the
meantime he has sold hundreds for stocking
ponds in various parts of the state. The
fish have attained great size and are said
to be very tame, Their flesh is something
ike llldG Ol tuo UulldlO ISL, anu Is Tdlner
cOarse-grained for the table.
Prof. Baird says there is nothing to pre-
vent fish from living an incredible num-
Der of years. and growing to an enormous
size, and cites in proof of the state
ment an immense pike living in Russia
whose age dates back to the fifteenth CEN
tury. Apropos to this, well known Cana
dian artist now in New York says that
while travelling in British Columbia a few
months ago he was shown a gigantic
sturgeon, which was declared by the peo-
pie to have lived in the waters of the Fraser
river to their certain knowledge, time out
mind, and which, since its capture, more
than year ago. had furnished food for
several families. The fish was tied with
stout ropes to tree on the bank of the
river. and whenever a resident wanted
some fish he simply went to the river,
pulled in the captive, cut a steak of the
size needed, and allowed the great fish to
float back into the stream. The sturgeon
was still alive when the artist left, and was
estimated to have enough meat on its bones
to supply the village for several months to
come.